Fight and Flight
by Saeph
Summary: Kyoko's feelings become too much for her to bear, so she tries to leave. What will Ren do? (There will be Lemon in the far distant future.)
1. Chapter 1: Plans gone awry

*****Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat! or its characters. They are the intellectual property of Yoshiki Nakamura. This fic is written for entertainment purposes.**

**She would quit. Quit being Setsu. Quit the Heel siblings job. Take some time off from certain things. Honestly, she probably wouldn't rest at all. She would just bury herself in her other work. She would try to fill every minute with something, either work or hobbies, just so that she could have a break from her mind. But the truth, was that she needed a break from him. Being around Ren made her head spin. Every minute she was around him, every time he spoke, every time he touched her, her mind was flooded with panic, dread, and a tidal wave of other emotions. All of her thoughts were murky. And she couldn't stand it anymore.**

**She needed time away from him. Thanks to Yashiro and the Heel siblings act, she had Ren's schedule for the next three weeks. She would schedule extra work for herself, but she would be sure to plan carefully. She would use back doors, delivery entrances, or even climb through windows if she had to, if it meant she would be certain that she wouldn't run into Ren anywhere.**

"_**I will just have to be bold, and tell him that I'm quitting this job. I'll take a few weeks for myself, and focus in my finals. And then maybe my heart will settle down. Maybe I can put these feelings behind me once and for all."**_

**That was the plan. But … things rarely go according to plan.**

TTTTT

"What?!" Ren cried out. "What do you mean, you're going?"

Kyoko froze for a moment. She hadn't expected Ren to have such a strong reaction. He didn't sound angry, but he did seem strongly upset by her announcement. _"Was he that desperate for someone to cook for him and do his laundry?"_ she thought. But, looking into his pleading eyes, she saw something else. Something that she couldn't, or rather, wouldn't acknowledge.

"I can't stay here any longer. My finals for this semester are coming up and I haven't studied at all," she explained as she pulled her clothes out of the drawers. _"Well, I'm not lying,"_ she thought to herself. _"I'm just not telling the entire truth." _

"And on top of that, I need to get some rest. This job has made me so busy, and worried all the time, that I've hardly slept at all this past week," Kyoko stated as she arranged her toiletries in her suitcase.

"_Worried? Has she been worrying that much about me lately?"_ Ren thought to himself. _"She has been acting a bit differently around me lately, but - No, it can't be me. She must be worried about school and her work suffering. She doesn't see me in any special way. At least, not yet. But I'm not about to give up on her."_

"If you need a few days off - " he tried.

Kyoko's sigh cut him off. Leaning over the open suitcase, she felt exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. All she wanted was to finish packing and get out of there. "I just can't handle this job anymore," she mumbled. She turned her head slightly looked at him, and he met her eyes.

When she saw that same desperate, pleading look in his eyes, the slightest blush started to rise in her cheeks. She broke her gaze, and focused on placing her clothes into the pack as well. Those clothes. Setsu's clothes. The clothes that Ren bought her for her role. _"He's done so much for me,"_ she thought. _"He bought me clothes, helped me along when I was figuring out my character. And here I am, abandoning my role. I owe him so much, and I can't even stick around and support him. Maybe …"_ She stuffed the rest of her clothes in the suit case and closed it with a decisive click. _"No! I have to keep my resolve strong," _Kyoko chided herself in her mind. _"I have to keep my heart safe."_

As she slid the suitcase off the edge of the bed, she said, "I already told Prez about it. He and Jelly are here to pick me up." As she began to leave, another thought occurred to her. And, this one, she could say out loud. She turned back to bid him goodbye. "I'm sorry, Tsuruga-san."

TTTTT

He had stood there almost motionless the entire time. He was in shock, and, like a deer in the headlights, he had no idea what to do. _"She's leaving?"_ he thought in his panic as he watched her pack her suitcase. Everything in the hotel room that belonged to her was in that suitcase. She had no intention of coming back. _"I have to stop her, but …"_ His mind was in a flurry, and hundreds of ideas flashed through his mind. But she was Kyoko. And she was special. None of those ordinary things would work on her. Not to mention, he wasn't exactly accustomed to chasing after women when they chose to leave.

Lory's words echoed in his mind. _"If you fall seriously in love, you'll chase after her. You won't care if you look foolish. It won't matter anymore. Because she'll be more important to you than your pride."_

So he did the only thing he could do.

TTTTT

Just as her hand touched the doorknob, Kyoko heard shifting behind her, and was startled when something grabbed her. She turned, to see that Ren's long, slender fingers had wrapped firmly, but gently, around one of her arms. He was holding on to her steadfastly with both hands. Her gaze trailed cautiously up to the source of this action, past his wrists, elbows, his firm chest, and elegant neck.

Finally, she met Ren's eyes. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. She had never seen so much pleading, so much desperation, in a person's eyes. This was beyond any puppy eyes that Cain had ever given her. The look he gave her told her that she was his only hope. Her heart pounded in her chest. The cool, collected Tsuruga-san was completely gone. The man standing in front of her was simply a man who was desperate for the kind of patience and gentle support that she could no longer give him.

Though his eyes spoke volumes, nothing told her more than what he said next. Even though he only said three words, they were the most important words he could have said.

"Please. Don't go." His voice was barely above a whisper.

She stared back at him. She felt like something was crushing her chest and warming it at the same time. The dangerous emotion was coming back.

But the look in his eyes took her attention off the pangs in her chest. Her mind flashed back to that night in the hallway. When those elevator doors opened, and he stood there, sad and broken with his arms outstretched, she felt that he might fade away from existence if she didn't hug him close.

This time, she couldn't go to him. After weeks of fighting off her feelings for him, she didn't think her heart could take any more pain. But she couldn't just walk away, either. He might really just fade to dust this time.

She couldn't step nearer to him, and, looking in his eyes, she couldn't walk away. So she had no choice but to stay where she was, and say something. But her voice failed her. As she parted her lips to try and speak, nothing but a shaky breath escaped. So Kyoko just stood there, with her heart aching in her chest.

TTTTT

He said the only thing that made sense. The only thing that he could say. The only thing that needed to be said. And he waited for her answer.

But she just stood there, staring right back at him, unsure and uneasy.

When she finally moved her mouth, nothing came out except for what seemed like a small, shaken sigh. And then he saw the beginnings of tears glinting in her eyes.

A tight knot balled up in the base of his throat, and, for a moment, he couldn't breathe. _"This is more to her than just a job."_ The tension in his neck was replaced by the warm feeling of hope welling up in his chest. _"Maybe, just maybe … she's beginning to feel the same things for me."_

He felt the sudden need to be close to her, to hug her, to make her feel safe with him. He wanted her to trust him enough to love him. He took an eager step towards her.

Panic immediately flickered across her eyes as she turned for the door once more.

"_No!"_ he thought. _"Please, don't walk away again. I don't want to lose you."_

Panic and instinct took over, and, without time to think, he did the only thing he could.

In one swift step, he had the gap between them closed. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and her suitcase fell down with a clatter. Before she had time to react, he embraced her with a passionate kiss.


	2. Chapter 2: Result of the Encounter

_**Thank you very much for all the follows, favorites, and reviews! I'm both surprised and glad that so many people like my work. I wasn't originally sure whether I would continue this story or not, but now, thanks to your encouragement, I will definitely keep writing it!**_

_**Sorry this chapter took so long! I wanted to be careful about how I wrote this part, so they wouldn't be too out of character. This is one of the most important parts of my story, so I wanted to make sure I got it right. I had some big-time writer's block, and my life has been pretty hectic. Before I knew it, time had just flown by! Q.Q I'm not sure how often I'll be updating, but later chapters should be released more quickly than this one was. Well, without further delay, here is chapter 2. Enjoy!**_

*****Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat! or its characters. They are the intellectual property of Yoshiki Nakamura. This fic is written for entertainment purposes.**

TTTTT

Kyoko stood, unable to speak, unwilling to move, trying to read the emotion in Ren's eyes. When she sighed, he looked saddened for a moment. Then, to her surprise his eyes lit up with a glint of … hope? She was mesmerized by the light in his eyes, so mesmerized that she didn't notice when he began to move. As he suddenly stepped closer to her, she snapped out of her reverie with a shock.

"_What am I doing?"_ She thought to herself. _"I should be getting out of here. It'll be too dangerous for my heart if I stick around much longer."_

She made a move for the door once more, but she was stopped by an arm around her waist. Startled, she dropped her suitcase with a loud clatter. Then another arm snaked around her waist. She spun around, only to find Ren dangerously close. A gasp escaped from her. Their faces were only inches apart, and, before she could speak, he had the gap closed.

His mouth pressed fiercely against hers. She could feel a fire from his lips, and it overwhelmed her. It was hot and sweet, and she had never felt anything like it before.

"_Wha…?"_ She tried to think. _"Tsuruga-san is…" _Her mind was beginning to get hazy. She clenched her eyes tight, hoping that it would clear her train of thought.

His kiss gradually slowed down. His lips, and their pulses against her mouth, got gentler and gentler. The sweet-hot fire calmed to a soothing warmth, and spread to her chest, where it made her heart flutter. Soon, there were only feather-light brushes against her lips, over and over. Then, after one long-lingering brush, he pulled back.

She slowly opened her eyes, and saw Ren's eyes nearly half-closed. She was sure that his drugged look reflected her own, and it was intoxicating. To think that he could make her feel this way… and that she could make him feel the same way… it was nothing short of magical.

She felt his arms slacken a bit, and begin to slide away. When he took a step back, she moved without thinking. She slipped an arm around his neck and pulled his head down to meet hers once more. She pressed her lips against his, craving that magic from before.

TTTTT

Ren's head was beginning to swim. He knew that, if he kept going, it would get harder and harder to stop. At the rate his head thoughts were spinning, he would soon be kissing all rational thought good-bye. So, like a responsible man, he stopped himself and pulled away. He received quite a shock, though, when Kyoko pulled him back in. The feeling was like electricity rampaging through his body. He kissed her out of a desperate attempt to make her see how he felt. The last thing he expected was for her to kiss him back.

But, surely enough, as soon as he summoned up the strength to make a logical decision, she dragged him back down into the haze with her. And now, there she was, with her lips pressed against his, craving, pleading with her lips for him to go on. But he wanted her to feel it, too, the sensation of not only receiving pleasure, but giving it. He wanted her to feel what it was like to press into his lips, to move, and learn the other side of the sensations that she had experienced.

Closing her eyes, her lips began to move against his. She was cautious at first. She moved slowly, mimicking the movements he had made earlier. Kyoko slipped her other arm up round his neck. Her lips pushed and pulled against his still mouth, getting rougher and faster with each kiss, as if frustrated that he wasn't kissing back.

Finally, he couldn't hold back anymore. His arms slinked back around her waist, and one stayed there to keep her steady. The other hand brushed its way up her back, until it came to rest between her shoulder blades. He pressed her closer to him, until her breasts barely brushed against his chest. Ren moved his mouth against hers again. He gently massaged her lips with his.

When a soft moan escaped her lips, his self-control snapped. A blazing furnace came to life inside him, and he was overwhelmed with the need to feel her closer.

In his frenzy, his hands began to move. He slid them over her back, learning the curves of her body. Setsu's outfit certainly made it easier to explore, and he relished every moment of it. When his fingertips gently grazed the bare flesh that was the crook of her waist, she gasped. He was quick in taking advantage of her open lips, and slipped his tongue into her mouth. He was cautious at first, as he felt her freeze up. But soon, just as before, she began to respond. _"Thank God she's a fast learner."_ He thought to himself as he began to delve deeper into her inviting mouth.

TTTTT

She felt his hands begin to move, and it brought shivers of pleasure to her body. When his fingertips teased her waist, though, she couldn't hold back her startled gasp. _"Oh no,"_ she thought. _"I hope he didn't notice that I'm ticklish there."_ Embarrassed and flushed, she prayed that he didn't notice the goose bumps on her skin where he tickled her. This, however, proved to be the last thing she should be concerned about, when his tongue passed her lips.

At first she froze, not certain what to do. In an ordinary situation, her mind would have reeled, trying to think of anything she could possibly do in this scenario. But, the feelings he gave her were intoxicating. She couldn't think straight; she could barely think at all. All she knew were the overwhelmingly pleasurable feelings overtaking her body, and that she craved more. As her mind had gone on break, her body simply responded the way it wanted to, and, without her realizing it, her tongue had slipped into his mouth as well.

For what seemed like hours, but were really just minutes, they stayed like this: touching, kissing, tasting and exploring one another. As she became accustomed to the sensations she was experiencing, her mind gradually began to clear.

She began to put together the pieces and understand what had happened in the last few minutes: _"We are still standing in the hotel room, and we are kissing. Even though we are dressed in Cain and Setsu's clothes, that is not who we are. At this moment, he is Ren Tsuruga, and I am Kyoko Mogami. I am Kyoko, standing in the arms of the man that I lo-"_

She froze, and then pulled away from him.

"No."

In panic, she wracked her brain to try to make sense of it all.

"_This wasn't supposed to happen. I was on my way out. I was leaving, and- And, like an idiot, I fell under his spell. I tried so hard to be strong, and yet I crumbled so easily. Shoutaro was right. This man turned me into a weak fool. I- What was I doing? What have I done? No! I have to get out of here!"_

She shoved him away, and stepped past him. Gathering up her suitcase, she made for the door.

TTTTT

Ren had gotten completely lost in their moment together, which is why he was completely shocked when she suddenly pulled herself back. _"Did I do something wrong?"_ He thought. _"Was I too rough with her?"_

"No." Her voice was a low whisper, so low that he barely heard her.

He watched her face wordlessly, as he saw confusion turn to worry, and, finally, panic overtook her entire being. She shoved him back, grabbed her suitcase again, and darted for the door. He caught her wrist with one hand as she opened the door.

"Kyoko, wait-"

"No!" She screamed as she ripped her hand from his grasp. Even as she left, she wouldn't look at him. But he still saw her tears as they rolled off her chin and hit the floor.

She was gone in less than a second, slamming the door behind her.

He slumped to the ground, with his back against the door. He buried his face in his hands as he cried.

"How could I make such a mess?"

TTTTT

**The next morning…**

TTTTT

Ren walked sluggishly through the halls of LME this morning. No matter how much he tried to hide it, there was no missing the fact that his steps were slow, his eyes were puffy, and his expression haggard. He expected his manager to pepper him with questions this morning. To his relief, though, after entering the car, Yashiro had simply said, "President Lory told me all about it. I'm so sorry." For once, Ren was thankful for Lory being such a nosy gossip. It saved him the pain of having to relive those moments all over again for the curious Yashiro.

Not another word was spoken between the manager and his charge until they reached LME, when Yashiro informed Ren that his first job for the day had called to cancel last night. Instead of heading to the studio, they were going to the company President's office, per his request. Ren sighed at this. _"I would've liked some advance notice." _He thought to himself. _"I could have run away, or pretended to be sick for the day. Well, I guess that's exactly why Lory told Yashiro to keep it a secret."_

A few minutes later, they were being led into Lory's office by his quiet assistant. The office was still decorated in an ancient Egyptian theme, but the "Pharaoh" was nowhere in sight.

"He must be quite fond of this theme to keep it around for this long," Yashiro remarked. "A couple of days ago, he said he was thinking of changing to a 'space cowboy' décor."

"I might still change it; I just haven't made my mind up yet," the voice of the president boomed, making Yashiro nearly jump out of his skin. Ren simply stayed unmoved.

LME's President stepped out of a side panel that blended in well with the wall, and slid back into place when he had cleared it. The two guests assumed that it must lead to a secret room off the office somewhere.

Ren had planned to speak first, but he was interrupted when he opened his mouth.

"I bet you're wondering why I called you here so urgently." The President began, with sad eyes. He paused for a few moments and then said, with a much gentler voice than usual, "Kyoko's gone."

"I know," Ren replied. "I know that she quit the Heel siblings for good, and I-"

The President stopped him before he could get any further. "No, Ren. Not just the Heel act. She left Tokyo last night. I went by the Darumaya. All of her stuff had been moved out, rather hastily. She dropped all her jobs. She's _gone_."

_**O.O Kyoko's gone?! Where did she go? Where could she be?! You'll find out next chapter. ;)**_

_**I offer my thanks to you all again, for your support and patience. A lot of emotion happened in this chapter, and I had to get it right. I still don't think it is perfect; there is always room for improvement. But I think this is as good as it's going to get right now. The reviews were very encouraging and gave me a thrill. Feel free to let me know what you thought of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed!**_

_**~Saeph**_


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